National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2458
Submission to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Inquiry From: – Banking Executive, Single Parent and Carer
I am writing as the father and co-parent of my son, n, who is 11 years old and diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, and Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA).
The NDIS support receives has had a significant positive impact not only on his life, but also on our family’s ability to function sustainably and contribute to the wider community.
For me personally, the NDIS means I can remain in full-time employment while continuing to care for my son safely and eƯectively. I work full-time and contribute approximately $50,000 per year in tax to the Australian economy.
Without appropriate NDIS supports, it would become increasingly diƯicult to maintain this level of workforce participation while also meeting ’s complex support needs.
One of the most valuable aspects of ’s NDIS funding is access to ongoing social and community participation supports. These supports have helped develop confidence in decision-making, improve emotional regulation in public environments, and build practical life skills that many people take for granted.
Through these supports, has been able to participate in activities such as Scouts, community outings, camps, cooking, and self-care development. Over time, we have seen measurable improvements in his ability to engage socially, tolerate unfamiliar environments, regulate his emotions, and participate more safely and positively within the community.
These supports are not “extras” or luxuries. They are preventative supports that reduce long-term risks and help children like develop the skills required to participate meaningfully in society.
Without these supports, many children like , with complex neurodevelopmental conditions are at risk of becoming socially isolated, emotionally dysregulated, and misunderstood by the broader community. Behaviours arising from disability-related distress or dysregulation can easily become labelled as misconduct rather than recognised as unmet support needs. Early intervention and ongoing community participation supports are essential in preventing these outcomes.
The NDIS does not replace parenting - it supports families to continue functioning. It helps reduce carer burnout, improves family stability, and allows parents like me to continue contributing economically and socially instead of being forced out of employment due to caregiving demands.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2458
However, even with ’s NDIS plan in place, the level of respite and support available to carers is extremely limited. As a parent and carer, I have personally experienced significant carer burnout despite doing everything possible to maintain stability for my son and continue working full-time.
Carer burnout does not just aƯect the parent - it directly impacts the child and the broader family unit. When parents are emotionally and physically exhausted, it becomes increasingly diƯicult to consistently facilitate community access, emotional co-regulation, appointments, social engagement, and the additional parenting responsibilities required for children with complex support needs.
There is often very little recognition of the ongoing mental, emotional, and practical load carried by parents of neurodivergent children. Families are expected to function at extraordinary levels without adequate consideration of the cumulative impact this has on carers over many years.
For families like ours, NDIS supports are not creating dependency - they are helping prevent collapse.
I am deeply concerned that the proposed changes appear to focus on reducing supports for participants and families rather than addressing ineƯiciencies, overcharging, and poor regulation within parts of the provider sector.
In my own experience, we previously accessed an “autism-friendly” school holiday program through a support provider. The program involved large groups of neurodivergent children being supervised by young staƯ members with little or no formal disability qualifications or specialised training. The activities often consisted of basic outings such as movies or indoor play centres, yet the provider charged close to $600 per child, per day, including transport.
Experiences like this demonstrate that the issue is not simply the existence of NDIS funding, but the lack of adequate oversight and accountability for how some providers operate within the system.
Families and participants who genuinely rely on these supports should not bear the burden of system mismanagement or profiteering. The government should focus on improving regulation, transparency, quality standards, and value for money within the provider market, rather than reducing access to supports that are genuinely life- changing for children and families.
Autism, ADHD, and related neurodevelopmental conditions do not simply disappear or become “resolved” over time. These are lifelong conditions, not temporary illnesses that can be cured through short-term intervention.
National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Securing the NDIS for Future Generations) Bill 2026 Submission 2458
What appropriate supports can do is help children develop coping strategies, emotional regulation skills, communication abilities, independence, and confidence so they are better equipped to navigate the world around them.
In ’s case, the progress we have seen has not occurred because his neurodivergence has disappeared - it has occurred because he has had access to consistent supports, community participation opportunities, and skill-building experiences that help him function more safely and successfully within society.
Removing or reducing these supports does not remove the disability. It simply removes the tools, structure, and opportunities that help children and families manage its impacts.
I am concerned that some of the proposed changes appear to misunderstand the nature of neurodevelopmental disabilities by treating support needs as though they should eventually disappear if enough therapies or interventions are attempted. In reality, support should be viewed as an investment in improving quality of life, independence, participation, and long-term outcomes - not as something that should only exist until a person appears “fixed.”
Families should not be required to repeatedly prove permanence or exhaust every possible treatment option before receiving support, particularly when many therapies are financially inaccessible or unavailable.
The reality is that community participation, capacity building, and early supports reduce long-term pressure on schools, healthcare systems, mental health services, the justice system, and unpaid carers.
I ask the committee to consider the real human impact these changes may have on children with disabilities and on the families who support them every single day.
Thank you for considering my submission.